Bicycle construction.



Pat'ehted June I7, I902.

J. C. -PBATT. BICYCLE CONSTRUCTION.

(Appiicafion'filed my 7, 1901.

, 3 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

: ha": NORRIS warms co; morau'ma, a uumarom u g P tented June 17, I902.

'c. .PRA -T'. BwYcLE CONSTRUCTION. pplication filed ma 7, 1901.

3 Sheets-$heet "3.

(No Modem m: Norms nsrcas ca. Pam-mafia, msx-mmmgi, o. a,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

JOHN C. PRATT, ,QFHARTFQRD,CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR/ F ONE-HALF TO ABTHURL.FOSTER, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

- BI Y E CONSTRUCTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,743, dated June 17,1902.

Application filed May 7, 1901.

T0 at whom it mz'ty concern: a

Be it known that I, JOHN (lPRATT, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Hartford, in'the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements'inBicycleOonstructions, of which the following is a' specification'.

This invention relates-tobicycles;and the object thereof is to providean improved construction of pump for inflating the tires, a part of theframe of the machine constituting the body of the pump, a further objectof the invention beingtoso constructthepump parts as to adapt them tobestowed away in that part of the frame which constitutes the body ofthe pump and to provide meanslfor holding them in said frame part whenthe bicycle is in use, a still further object being to construct certainof the pump parts to receive tools necessary to the bicycle.-

The invention consists in' the construction described inthe followingspecification and clearly pointed .out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part ofthis specification, Figures 1 and 1represent'apart of the frame of a bicycle to which my invention isapplied, Fig. 1 representing theupperpart ofthe frame and Fig. 1 thelowerpart. Fig.

. 2 is a detached view of a par'tofFig; 1 showing the parts inanotherposition. *Figf3 is a detached view of the parts shown in Fig. .2in their separated relations. v view and sectional elevationof fixedannular partitions in the frame. Fig. 5is a pers'pec tive view of'alatch on the saddle-har ot the seat-post. Fig. 6 is aside elevation'ofpart of a'bicycleon-a somewhat-smaller scale,

partly in section, showing the parts in ad-it"-' ferent position to thatshown in-Figs. land 1*. Fig. 7 is'a sectional elevation of a part of theframe shown in Fig. 6, showing some of the parts separated from theothers.-" Fig.

8 is a sectional elevation of a modified con-" -In carrying out myinvention the'se'at-post brace a of the frame of the bicycle constitutesthe body of the pump. The lower end of this brace when it is joined tothe crank-hanger Serial No. 59,097- (No model.)

crank-hanger, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6,.

and up into the end of the front diagonal brace, (indicated by g.) Thebuffer dis pro-'- vided with an aperture'registering with that of thecup-shaped piece 0. At a point near the crank-hanger b thet'ube .fenters and is secured to 'a cylindrical case it, (shown in Figs. 1, 2,and'3,) within which is located a tubular casingt, inwhichisaspring-actuated plunger t adapted to close the hole 3' in thebrace g, through which connection is made with the said case it bythe-usual flexible tube k, which leads to the valve-Z in the wheel-rimm, which valve is of the usual construction. This tube is shown in Fig.6 in full lines leading to the rear wheel andin dotted lines showing itleading over to the front wheel.

The rod of the pump-piston e-i s composed of three parts, viz: First,that part to which the piston-head is attached, (indicated by 01;)second, that part which fitsover the upper end thereoftelescopically,(indicated by 0,) and, third, the handle part,'w-hichscrews into the end of the part 0, which is indicated by p,

and all of these par-ts'fit inside of the seat- .post brace a. Theseat-postq is' located in the upper end of this brace, as usual, and isadjustable vertically therein ;in' the usual manner, the handle partp,above referred to, fitting inside the seat-post and beingendwise'n'iovable therein. On the'lower end of the seat-post isfixed-the ringrr, (shown in detail in Fig. 4,) which serves as a guidefor the parts at and 0 of the piston andiconstitutes a sort of movablepartition in theseat-post brace a. Said ring r is chamb'ered ouhas shownin said Fig. 4, the lower' side thereof being provided with slottedp'ortions s to permit the entrance into said chambered-out portion ofthe pin 6, fixed transverselyin the rod near the piston-head e. Acrosssaid chambered part of the ring 1 are two pins ct, with which the saidpin 1% engages. construction is this: The parts 91 and 0 of thepiston-rod are arranged telescopically to permit one to be moved downover the other for the inclosure thereof with the handle portionpentirely within the seat-post q and the seat-post brace a. In order tooperate the pump, however, these parts 0 and 77, must be united, and toeffect this union the handle part 7) is grasped and drawn outwardlyuntil the internally-threaded end of the part 0 comes up into positionof engagement with the externally-threaded end of the handle part 1).The rod is then rotated until the pin t enters, through the slots 5, thechambered portion of the rint r. If now the handle portion be turned,the part at of the rod will be held against rotation, and the section 0of the rod maybe screwed onto it, which provides a stiff rod for pumpingpurposes. When the sections 0 and n are unscrewed to be nested in theseat-post q and the brace a and are pushed down inside of the latter,the tapered portion at the lower end of the handle-piece p fits snuglyin a ring 0', vertically movable within the seat-post, which is securedto the top of a coiled spring to, secured to the top of the ring '1',and when the end of the handle part 1; is substantially flush with thetop of the seat-post this spring 10 will be in a compressed condition,as shown in Fig. l. The object of this spring is to force the handlepart 2 far enough out of the seat-post (l to enable it to be grasped bythe hand when said handle is released by the throwing over of the seata), as shown in Fig. 6. This spring serves the further purpose ofpreventing the rattling of the handle-piece.

On the top of the saddle-post, at the rear side thereof, is hinged thesaddle-bar g In Fig. 1 this is shown in operative position and isprovided with a on p-shaped cavity 2, which fits over the top of thehandle part 19, the top of the saddle-post itself being tapered tocorrespond with the tapered sides of this cavity, to the end that whenthe bar is in the position shown in Fig. 1 and is secured to the top ofthe post by the spring-latch 1 there will be no rattling of the parts.This spring-latch may he of any convenient form. As shown herein, thesaddle-bar y is made tubular and is provided with a slotted portion nextto the seat-post, in which is a sliding latch, (shown in Fig. 5,) a stem2 serving to impart movements to the latch in one direction by means ofa spiral spring acting between the outer end of the bar and the end ofsaid stem.- Any other form of latch would answer every purpose, however,which would securely hold the saddle-bar in horizontal position. Theseat at may be attached to this bar in the usual manner for adjustmentin a horizontal plane, and the seat-post may be adjusted vertically inthe saddle-post brace a, in the usual manner by means of theclamping-bolt 3, the location of the pump in this part of the framenotinterfering in the slightest degree with this sad The object of thisdle adjustment. The flexible tube 7.2, by which connection is made fromthe pump to the tires, is carried within the parts 0 and n of thepump-piston, all as shown in Figs. 1, 1, and '7.

There is no particular reason for locating the point of connection forthe tube with the pump in the brace g at the point shown in thedrawings, except that the point is chosen as being substantiallyequidistant from the rims of the front and rear wheels, and thereforepermits the use of a tube 70 of the shortest dimension, which wouldserve for both tires, and this length can readily be inserted andcarried in the tubular members 0 and n in the pump-piston.

I prefer to use the tubular handle-bar piece 2.) as a boxing for certaintools, such as are in constant demand by the users of bicycles, wherebythe carrying of a tool-bag on the frame or in the pocket is entirelyobviated. These tools are so nested together, as shown in Fig. 1, andsecured in fixed position in the handle-piece p by means of thescrew-cap forming part of the latter that they are prevented fromrattling by the movement of the machine when in use. The construction ofthis tool-holder, however, and the particular grouping of the toolsshown therein in Fig. 1 do not constitute a part of this invention, butare reserved for another application, and in the pump-handle 17 shownherein the tools maybe arranged and grouped together in any mannerdesired.

A closure for the openingj in the brace g is provided by thespring-actuated plunger '6 which retires within the casing "i as the endof the tube 70 is screwed into the opening j. The cylindrical casing iis practically inclosed in a chamber consisting of the case 72 the twoend walls of which are practically sealed by two packing-rings 4. (Shownin Fig. The tubular casingz' has two oppositely-located slots 5, throughwhich air may pass from the case h into said casing, and the end of thenipple of the tube 7t, which screws into the opening j and forces theplunger t inward, has no opening through the end thereof that bears onsaid plunger; but said nipple below its end is provided with an annulargroove which when the nipple is in position will lie opposite a part ofthe slots 5, and air passing through said slots may enter the tube 7athrough an aperture 6, located in the annular groove in said nipple.When the latter is unscrewed, the plunger 2' follows and closes theopeningj, thus excluding all dirt from the frame. A slight projection "iis provided on the top of the tubular casing b which projects through asmall hole in the frame opposite the hole j. This serves to steady thecase 7b in its position in the brace g.

In operating this invention (assuming the parts to be in the positionshown in Fig. 1) if it is desired to pump up a tire the latch l iswithdrawn, the force of the spring 20 partially raising the saddle,which is thrown over to the position shown in Fig. 6. The

handle party) is then grasped and drawn out wardly as far asit will comeand-turned .in the direction necessary to screw the parts oand ittogether, the part nbeing held against rotation by the engagement withthe partition 4", as described. When secured to the part 02, the part owill project beyond the end of the seat-post, and it-is then grasped bythe hand and the handle partp unscrewedtherefrom, whereby access may behad to the flexible tube 70, which is Withdrawn and the handle partagain screwed onto the part 0. The tube is now secured to the'valve onone of the wheels by one end, and its opposite end is screwed into thecylindrical casing t in the brace g, the spring-plunger i retiring asthe nippleon the end of the tube 70 is screwed inward. The pump is nowready for operation, and without detaching the tube is from the pump theopposite end thereof may be connected with either wheel. 7 7

Figs. 8 and 9show certain modifications of the hereinbefore describedconstructions, which fall legitimately within the scope of theinvention. In Fig. 8 instead of making the saddle-bar y to swing overand down on the top of the brace a. to hold the pump parts in theirproper position therein the saddlebar in this modification is providedwith a socketed end 8, which fits down over the end of the brace a, andit is provided with a spring-latch 9 or some similar fastening devicefor securing it to the post q. On opposite sides of the lower edge of,the socket 8 are two projections 10, one of whichis shown erating thepump to a greater extent than in the hereinbefore-describedconstruction, and would leave so great a distance between the piston andthe bottom of the pump-body as to interfere with the proper operation ofthe pump, andtherefore this space is occupied in this construction bythe spring 12, whichtakes the place of the springw (shown in Figs. 1, 6,and 7),and a cylin'dricalhead 13, secured to the upper end of saidspring, the lower end of the saddle-post having an inturned flange 14 onit to give a seat to the lower end, of the The lower end of the brace ais sprin When the sadtightly sealed by a disk 15.

dle-post is adjusted vertically, the entire.

pump mechanism moves with it. When the pump parts are pushed into thesaddle-post, the spring 12 is compressed, as shown insaid Fig. 8, by thebearing of the piston on the cylindricalhead 13, and when thesaddle-bar,which holds these parts in the post,is removed the expansion of thespring moves the parts vupwardly in the seat-post q until theedge'of thehead 13 strikes the shoulder 16 in said post, which is formed by turningout the endvv of the latter to a slightly-larger diameter. In.-

stead of turning a flange, as 14, inward to form. a seat for the spring12, the end of said-post may be closed by securing a .ringtherein in Inthe'head 13-is a check-- valve 17, held on its seat by thespringlS, andsurrounding said valve are suitable posts .19, which serve as a cage forthe valve to keep it any desired way.

of the pump is carried in a-conduit 23 to a point on the brace g, fromwhich connection by means of the tube It may be made with the tires ofthe wheels. This conduit-is constructed by brazing to the frame atrough-like piece bent to conform to the frame parts, covering 1 at oneend said opening .22, and at the oppo- This tube is necked down at theend thereof which passes out at the lower side of the brace 9V and isinternally screw threaded to .re-

ceive the threaded nipple. in one. end of the tube It. The threading ofthis tube provides a convenient shoulder for-.the head of the plunger 25therein to abut against.

in Fig. 8 by means of the spring. 26. The

site end the open end ofa short tube'24, extending transversely "throughthe brace g.

165 This plunger is for the same purpose as the plunger t? in the framepart 1', heretofore described; and is normally held in thepositionshown,

head of the plunger fits the bore of the tube I 24, and to permit thepassage of airthrough the plnngerit is bored out axially from -thetopnearly to the bottom anda transverse hole 27 is then madethrough it,intercepting the axialhole. 7 When the plunger. israised by theintroduction of the nipple on thecon- .necting-tube 70, said. transversehole 27 .is raised out of the threaded portion of the tube I p 24, andthe passageof air through the plunger 25 ,will therefore heunobstructed, the construction of the nipple being" the same asheretofore described.

tion, however.. The extremities of the tube are of the ordinaryv typeofrubber tnbing commonly used for the purpose, and between theseextremities is introduced an extensible In this modified'cona .structionthe tube-7c connecting the pump with the wheel-tires is carried inthetubular part mas in the construction shown in the :preceding figures.The tube shown indetail and on a somewhat-enlarged scalein Fig. 9 hascertain peculiaritiesoficonstrucsection of tubing 28, which is woundwithwire 29 in the form of a coil, which also constitutes a spring whichaids in the retraction of the tube when it has been extended. Thistube-section 28 is secured in its place by the ends of the wire 29binding it tightly between a metal bushing 30 in the end of one of theextremities of the tube, as shown in section in Fig. 9. The winding ofthis extensible section 28 of the tube with wire serves also to stiffenit, whereby one is enabled to more easily insert it in the tubularmember n. The purpose of making the tube 7t extensible is to adapt it tobe used with a cap 31, such as is shown in said Fig. 9, and adapted tobe held onto the valve in the wheel-rim by the tension of the elasticportion of the tube 70. The interior of the cap is cylindricallytapering to adapt it to fit valves of slightly-varying diameters. Thetube on the end of which this cap is fitted must be closed at that endand the cap cemented to the outside of the tube, as shown, anair-passage 32 being made through the wall of the cap and that wall ofthe tube which is cemented to the cap, all as clearly shown in Fig. 9.This construction permits the tube k to be screwed into the openingj inthe brace g of the frame, and the tube then stretched sufiiciently tohook the cap 31 over the valve in the wheel-rim.

By means of the herein-described construction a very powerful pump isprovided,which is always with the machine, ever ready and immediatelyaccessible, and which obviates the necessity of carrying along, strappedto the outside of the machine, a pump of the usual type, and byutilizing the handle part of the pump as a tool-holder everything thatone may need on a bicycle tour is provided and carried out of sight.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination with the frame member of a bicycle in which thesaddle-post is secured, of a pump of which said frame member constitutesthe body, a piston-rod in the pump, the outer end of which normallyprojects beyond the upper end of the frame member, means to depress andlock the rod within the said frame member and means to eject the saidrod when it is released.

2. The combination with the frame member of a bicycle in which thesaddle-post is secured, of a pump of which said frame member constitutesthe body, a piston-rod in the pump the outer end of which projects beyond the upper end of the frame member, a saddle-bar pivotally supportedon the said post and unattached to the pump-rod and adapted to be swungover the said rod to depress and hold it within the pump and means toeject the rod when the seat is swung out of engagement therewith.

3. The combination with the frame member of a bicycle, of a pump ofwhich said frame member constitutes the body,ofa pump there in, apump-rod comprising telescopic sections, suitable screw-threads on saidsections, a partition in said pump-body through which said rod passes,lugs on the partition, and lugs on one of the pump-rod sections toengage the lugs on the partition, whereby one of said sections may beheld against rotation and the sections screwed together.

4. The combination with a frame of a bicycle, one of whose membersconstitutes a pump-body, of a pump therein, a pump-rod comprisingtelescoping sections, suitable screw-threads on said parts, radialprojections on one of the sections,a partition through which thepump-rod passes, said partition comprising upper and lower plates spacedapart to provide a chamber, pins in the chamber and radial slots in thelower plate to permit the pins on the pump-rod to enter the chamber andbe lodged against the pins therein, whereby the said rod is held againstro tation and the parts may be screwed together.

5. The combination withaframe member of a bicycle, in which thesaddle-post is secured, of a pump of which said frame member constitutesthe body, a fixed transverse partition in said frame member, a pump-rodextending through said partition and consisting of several sectionsadapted to be contained in said member, a spring on said partition forengaging with said rod, whereby the latter may be forced into saidmember against said spring, and the rattling of the parts he therebyprevented, and means for locking said sections temporarily in saidmember, substantially as described.

JOHN C. PRATT. Witnesses:

H. A. CHAPIN, J. D. GARFIELD.

